Easy Paper Plate Sun Craft for Kids - Taming Little Monsters

Learn how to make a Paper Plate Sun Craft just in time for summer. This easy craft is perfect for toddlers and preschoolers. Not only does this art project help them express their creativity, it also gives you an opportunity to talk to them about sun safety.

If you want to make your Summer themed lessons a breeze, then check out the Summer Activity Pack. It’s filled with math and literacy centers, fine motor activities and arts and crafts templates. All of which are aligned with preschool learning standards. Check it out today.

Paper plate sun craft for kids. An easy arts and crafts project for toddlers and preschoolers to try this Summer.

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More Summer Themed Kids Craft Ideas

I love summer crafts for kids, because I am a huge fan of all the bright colors. Here are some more of my most popular summer themed arts and crafts for toddlers and preschoolers.

For more ideas, take a look at these 40 Summer Crafts for Kids.

Materials Needed

Paper plate
Yellow paint
Scissors
Pen or pencil
Black marker or black paint pen
Paint brushes

How to make a Paper Plate Sun Craft

Step 1. Paint the paper plate.

Use yellow paint to color the entire paper plate. I love using acrylic paint, however tempera or even watercolor paints work on paper plates too.

If you have young children who still get paint all over their clothes, I would recommend using tempera paint instead, because it’s more likely to wash out of clothes than acrylic.

2. Draw and cut out the rays.

When the yellow paint has dried, flip the paper plate over and draw the rays of the sun. I like to draw the rays on the back because the pen is easier to see against a white surface.

You can make these rays as large or small as you want. If you’re doing this activity with toddlers and preschoolers who are new to scissor skills, you may want to make the rays larger. That way there won’t be as many rays to cut out and the kids are less inclined to get frustrated before finishing this step.

3. Draw a face onto the sun.

This step is optional, but I loved how it turned out. I used a paint filled pen to draw the face onto my paper plate sun, but a black marker or sharpie would work too.

Another option is to try gluing some large googly eyes onto your face instead.

What you’re learning

1. Creativity

Let your kids use their imaginations to create any kind of sun they want. They can experiment with the paint color, the size of the rays or what kind of face they draw.

For example, your child might be having a sad or an angry day. Let them draw a sad face on their sun as a way to express their emotions in a healthy way.

2. Fine Motor Skills

Using a paint brush, pen and scissors all require strong hands and fingers. This easy craft is a great way to help children develop fine motor skills while they create.

3. Importance of sun safety

While you are making this paper plate craft, don’t forget to talk to your kids about sun safety. The use of sunscreen, hats and other protective clothing is important for protecting your skin from the sun.

4. Planning and organization

Encourage your kids to gather the materials needed for this craft, before you start, to strengthen their organization skills.

And talking about what steps you need to take to complete this art project is a wonderful way to teach kids some planning skills. After all, if you skip a step (like not letting the paint dry before drawing a face), the end result won’t work as well.

This craft also has interchangeable steps. For example, step 1 and step 2 could be reversed. You can cut out the sun’s rays and decide to paint the paper plate after it’s been cut out. Let your children experiment to see what they think works best.